Top Questions and Answers for Windows 3.1

This document is a list of the Top Questions and Answers for Microsoft Windows 3.1. It is distributed via the Microsoft Knowledge Base and other distribution channels.

Most Common Questions and Answers
Microsoft Windows Operating System Version 3.1

Setup

Q: What is the most common reason for an unsuccessful Windows installation?

A: Terminate-and-stay-resident programs (TSRs) loaded from the CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files are the number one cause of an unsuccessful Windows installation. If you are having difficulty with Windows Setup, insert a system disk in your floppy drive and start your computer. The system disk should contain AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS with no device drivers or TSRs loaded, unless necessary to access the hard drive. If you use any special drivers for your hard drive, such as Disk Manager or Stacker, make sure the drivers are in your new CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files and also on the floppy disk. Q: During installation, when Windows Setup attempts to switch from the MS-DOS-character portion of Setup to the graphical-mode Windows portion of the installation, the hourglass cursor disappears and Setup hangs, or Windows exits to MS-DOS. Why?

A: This may happen if there is a corrupted or earlier version of SETUP.INF or SETUP.EXE located in the WINDOWS or WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory. Search these directories and rename either of these files if found. For example, rename SETUP.INF to SETUP.OLD. Then run the Windows Setup program from the Windows disks again.

Printing

Q: What could be causing printing problems that didn't occur in Windows version 3.0?

A: When you set up Windows 3.1, some printer drivers may not get updated correctly. To make sure your printer driver was updated correctly, do the following.

1. Remove the printer driver that you are using from your system. Run Control Panel and choose Printers. Select the printer driver and choose the Remove button.
2. Use File Manager to change to the WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory. Select the printer driver filename and press the DEL key.
3. Reinstall the printer driver by running Control Panel and choosing Printers. Choose the Add button, select your printer, and choose the Install button. NOTE: By reinstalling your printer driver, almost all (90 percent of) TrueType and third-party printing problems will be corrected.

Q: When I print in landscape mode on a Linotronic printer, the Encapsulated PostScript (EPS) graphic portions of the document are rotated. Why?

A: If you are using the Linotronic or another PostScript printer driver, try adding the following line to the [ModelName,Port] section of the WIN.INI file. This is the section that says [Linotronic 200/230,LPT1], and not the section that says [PostScript,LPT1]: Q: Can I print in color using my Hewlett-Packard (HP) DeskJet 500c printer?

A: Using the printer driver supplied by Hewlett-Packard, you can print in color using this printer. However, printer drivers supplied by Hewlett-Packard do not support TrueType fonts. If you want to use TrueType fonts, you can use the printer driver that comes with Windows 3.1; however, you won't be able to print in color.

Applications

Q: Since upgrading from Windows 3.0 to version 3.1, I can no longer use the OLE features in Excel or Word for Windows. Why?

A: If you upgrade from Windows 3.0 to Windows 3.1, and you had installed in Windows 3.0 an application that support OLE), Windows 3.1 may not recognize the OLE database. You need to update the database, which is a file named REG.DAT. To update the REG.DAT file, do the following:

1. From the File menu in Program Manager, choose the Run command.
2. In the Command Line box, type:
   regedit
   The Registration Information Editor appears.
3. From the File menu, choose the Merge Registration File.
4. Select the registration file that corresponds to the OLE server application you are using. For example, if you are using Microsoft Publisher, choose MSPUB.REG.
5. Choose the OK button.

Q: When I tried to upgrade to Windows 3.1 using DR-DOS 6.0, I received the following error message. Why? A: Microsoft can only ensure the stability of Windows 3.1 running on MS-DOS or PC-DOS versions 3.1 or later. Digital Research has announced the availability of a software update for running Windows with DR-DOS. Microsoft neither endorses nor ensures the stability of Windows 3.1 running on DR-DOS either with or without the Digital Research software update.

Q: Does SMARTDrive make my system run more slowly in Windows 3.1?

A: If SMARTDrive is set up to use double buffering, it is going to run more slowly than without double buffering. To make SMARTDrive faster when it is using double buffering, try adding the /L switch to the SMARTDrive command line in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file. This switch forces SMARTDrive to load its buffer "low," into conventional memory.

Note: When your hard disk requires the use of double buffering, Windows places a SMARTDrive command in your CONFIG.SYS file as well as in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file. You must place the /L switch on the command line in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file.

Q: In my CONFIG.SYS file, I have the line: Why is it there? And why can't I run Windows in 386 enhanced mode even through I have a 386 computer with 4 megabytes of memory?

A: When Windows is set up, it tests to see if it can understand the hard drive. If the hard drive uses a SCSI controller or a caching controller, then Windows adds the line DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\SMARTDRV.EXE /DOUBLE_BUFFER to CONFIG.SYS. Sometimes, double buffering may not be activated even though you have the line in CONFIG.SYS. If you have a SCSI controller and double buffering is not active, then you may not be able to run Windows in 386 enhanced mode. To force double buffering, add a + to the end of the SMARTDrive (SMARTDRV.EXE line):

Usage

Q: Why doesn't my Novell NWPOPUP.EXE messaging utility initialize properly? When I exit Windows I get all my messages.

A: If you are running Windows in 386 enhanced mode and a version of Novell NetWare's NWPOPUP.EXE with a file date earlier than 3/10/92 is in your WINDOWS directory, or if NWPOPUP.EXE is located in a directory prior to the Windows directory entry in the PATH= statement, then NWPOPUP.EXE will get loaded and will not initialize properly under Windows 3.1. It may also be necessary to try placing the following line in the [386Enh] section of your SYSTEM.INI file: This increases the amount of time (specified in milliseconds) before the critical section is timed out. Q: I am the system administrator for a Novell network. Most of my workstations run with no problem, but two of my workstations only run in standard mode and not in 386 enhanced mode. If I do not log onto the network, then I can run in 386 enhanced mode.

A: There are four possible causes to the problem you are experiencing:

• incorrect network software drivers
• IRQ conflict
• RAM address conflict
• Base address conflict

1. Read the NETWORKS.WRI file for the steps necessary to upgrade your current versions of IPX and NETX. If necessary contact your network card manufacturer if you need new low-level drivers.
2. Most machines do not support having two devices using the same IRQ at the same time. This means that if you are using your network card on IRQ3 or IRQ4, then you will have to either disable COM2 or COM1, which use the same respective IRQ, or reconfigure the network card for a free IRQ. On most machines, IRQ5 and IRQ2 are free, meaning no other hardware device is attempting to use them.
3. Many network cards use a RAM address in the Upper Memory area between 640K and 1024K. If your card is using this range, then exclude use of this range with EMM386.EXE or an EMMEXCLUDE statement in the SYSTEM.INI file's [386Enh] section. Some cards will not function properly at D000 and need to be reconfigured for D800.
4. Many hardware devices have Base memory addresses (for example, COM ports). There may be a conflict with an existing device. Try reconfiguring the network card for an address of 300h or greater.

Q: When I choose the Ports icon in Control Panel, the Advanced button in the Ports dialog box is unavailable (dimmed). Why is this?

A: If the Windows 3.1 COMM.DRV file is not installed correctly, the Advanced button in the Ports dialog box will be unavailable. If you upgrade from Windows 3.0 to 3.1 and you were using a third-party communications driver in 3.0, the Windows 3.1 Setup program will not update the communications driver. To make sure your COMM.DRV file is installed correctly, try the following:

1. Make sure you have the following setting in the [boot] section of your SYSTEM.INI file:

   COMM.DRV=COMM.DRV
   						

2. Using the MS-DOS expand command (installed in the WINDOWS directory of your hard drive during Windows setup), reinstall the COMM.DRV from the Windows Setup disks (Disk 1 for 3.5-inch disks; Disk 2 for 5.25-inch disks) into the SYSTEM subdirectory of your WINDOWS directory by typing the following:
   expand a:\comm.dr_ c:\windows\system\comm.drv

Q: Can I set up a permanent or temporary swap file on a "stacked" disk drive?

A: Windows 3.1 does not support the use of a permanent or temporary swap file on a "stacked" drive. A stacked drive is one on which you are running the Stac Electronics' Stacker utility.

Q: I have a sound card that plays the Windows file CANYON.MID, but when I choose the Sound icon from Control Panel, all of the dialog box selections are unavailable (dimmed). Why?

A: You are using a sound card that is a MIDI synthesizer. You must use a card that supports the playing of audio files (files with the .WAV filename extension). For example, if you are using the original Adlib Music Synthesizer Card, it must be upgraded to the Adlib 2000 or Gold card.

Error Messages:

Q: When I start File Manager, I see the following error message. What causes this? A: An MS-DOS version 4.x file named GRAPHICS.COM might be the cause. Try removing from your AUTOEXEC.BAT file the command line that specifies GRAPHICS.COM. If you choose the OK button when you receive this error message, File Manager displays all of your drives; however, it cannot access any of your files. The MS-DOS version 5.0 GRAPHICS.COM file does not cause this problem.

Q: What should I do when I receive the error message?

A: This error message appears when the files KRNL386.EXE and WIN386.EXE are from different versions of Windows (when one is from 3.0 and the other from 3.1). To see if this is the problem, check the dates on the these files. They are located in the SYSTEM subdirectory of your WINDOWS directory. It is possible that an older version of these files may be in the path or the WINDOWS directory; search the entire path for these files. If necessary, use the MS-DOS expand command to reinstall the files from the Windows Setup program. (The expand command is installed in the WINDOWS directory of your hard drive during Windows setup.)

This error message can also appear when your system memory-configuration settings (sometimes referred to as CMOS settings) don't match the amount of memory the system actually has. The way you change the settings depends on the type of hardware you have. For more information about changing these settings, see your hardware documentation.

Q: When switching to the MS-DOS Prompt from Windows, I receive the following error message: What does this mean and what should I do?

A: There are two possible solutions to this problem:

1. An old WINOA386.MOD may be located in the WINDOWS directory or the path. Delete the old file and use the MS-DOS expand command to expand an updated version from the Windows 3.1 disks by typing:
   expand a:\winoa386.mo_ c:\windows\system\winoa386.mod
   (The expand command is installed in the WINDOWS directory of your hard drive during Windows setup.)
2. In the SYSTEM.INI file, there are three lines that specify what kind of video driver Windows uses when running in 386 enhanced mode. These are 386Grabber= and display.drv= (located in the [boot] section) and display= (located in the [386Enh] section). The
   Incorrect system version
   error message usually occurs when one of these entries is not consistent with the others.

To reset these drivers:

1. Exit Windows and change to the WINDOWS directory.
2. Type setup and press ENTER.
3. Select the current Display option and press ENTER.
4. From the Display list box, select VGA (version 3.0) and press ENTER.
5. If you are asked to use an existing driver, press the ESC key to load new drivers.

Q: When running Windows, why do I get the following error message? A: This error is usually caused by an old .DLL file located in the WINDOWS directory. The most common one is TOOLHELP.DLL. Locate this file and rename it. Then, restart Windows. The correct version of this file is located in the WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory and has a date of 3/10/92 and a size of 14128. This problem can also occur with an earlier version of SHELL.DLL, OLECLI.DLL, OLESVR.DLL, and COMMDLG.DLL. All of these file should be located in the WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory and have a date of 3/10/92.